Time-resolved two-dimensional monochromatic imaging of laser-imploded plasma

To prepare a new diagnostic tool for the laser-imploded plasma, we have developed a time-resolved, two-dimensional monochromatic imaging system that consists of a pinhole array, a flat diffraction crystal, and an x-ray streak camera without cathode slit. We have successfully reconstructed time-resolved two-dimensional images of an Ar resonance line emitted from an imploded plastic shell filled with D-2/Ar mixture gas. The current system provides the temporal resolution of similar to 24 ps and the spatial resolution of similar to 16 mu m for the direction perpendicular to the spectral dispersion. The spatial resolution parallel to the spectral dispersion is less than or equal to 27 mu m, that depends on the crystal broadening and the spectral linewidth. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.